The Magician's Nephew
by RabidFaerie
Summary: Before the Golden Age of the Pevensies, before the 100 year winter and the rule of the White Witch, before Narnia even existed, there was Digory Kirke and Polly Plummer. Tricked by Digory's Uncle Andrew, the children find themselves on Charn where they meet the last Queen and Princess, and find an adventure. K for mild swearing.
1. Prologue: A Brief History of Charn

Prologue: A Brief History of Charn

Our world is not the only world out there. We cannot usually visit other worlds, unless there is a magic wardrobe handy, or in this case, magic rings. But before all of that, you must first learn about Charn.

The fist rulers were kind and benevolent. They rose to power though their skills as magicians. They wanted to help their people and protect them. Eventually, through several generations and marriages, the whole world was one nation under a single royal family. But as their power grew, so did their greed.

They became crueler and more focused on power than helping their people. The only feuds came from rebels tired of their rule, but they were quickly disposed of, and from within the royal family, for everyone wanted to be king or queen.

The last feud of the royal family killed all inhabitants of this world, save two.

When her sisters began their fight for the throne, Dione had hoped that they would be able to reach an agreement, but that was not to be. At first, she was left out of the feud, staying in her wing of the grand palace and tending to her massive garden. Her sister, Jadis, would visit often, saying that she wished to see her 'Little Flower'. But this did not last either.

One night, her other sister, Jora, who had become a rebel trying to depose Jadis from the throne, snuck into the palace. Dione was thrilled to see her sister. Though they had not been as close and she and Jadis were, Dione still loved Jora very much. Jora's visit was meant to be more than just a social call, it was an attempt to hurt and distract Jadis by poisoning her favorite sister. The poison was slow to work, meaning that Jora could escape without Dione knowing what was to come. Fortunately, Dione knew her plants well and was able to use her magic with them to save her own life, though it left her very much weakened.

In order to prevent anyone else from harming her sister, Jadis froze her in the Hall of Images. This also prevented her death when Jora marched on the city, thinking herself victorious, and the destruction caused by Jadis speaking the Deplorable Word, killing all other life on Charn.

Both sisters were frozen in the Hall of Images for centuries, until the bell was struck.


	2. Chapter 1: The Bell and the Hammer

Chapter 1: The Bell and the Hammer

Digory Kirke and Polly Plummer found themselves, in what appeared to be, the ruins of a great city, which was completely deserted, after having been tricked by Digory's awful Uncle Andrew. He had tricked Polly into putting on a yellow ring that took her to, what she and Digory called, the Wood Between Worlds. Instead of going straight back to London, they went to explore another world. So they picked a puddle, for those were the entrances to the worlds, and ended up in the empty ruins under a red sun.

There were no plants, animals, or even bugs. There was no noise, save for the tap of their shoes on the stones. Eventually they found themselves in a hall that seemed to be inhabited by the only people they had seen. But when they entered, they found that the people were merely images and not alive.

All of the people were dressed in fine clothes of rich colors and covered in precious jewels, and all of them had crowns on their heads. The first of the images appeared kind and wise. After a few steps, the faces of the people became proud and cruel, and the further they walked the meaner the people seemed to become.

The last woman was the most impressive. She was the most richly dressed and looked the proudest. She was also beautiful, but a terrifying beauty. Though she was sitting, she looked to be taller than any woman that Digory or Polly had ever seen, surely she would be seven feet tall if she stood. Digory was fascinated and enchanted by her beauty, but Polly had to look away.

This is when the smaller figure, just to the right of intimidating beauty, caught the young girl's attention. This figure was more like the first that the children had seen. Her face held no pride or cruelty, her clothes were ornate, but simple in the fact that she wore almost no jewels, and atop her head was a crown of flowers, rather than one of metal. She was pale, like all he figures, but her hair was a light brown, instead of black, and her eyes were a warm green, while the other figures had either piercing blue or dark black eyes. Polly liked her much more than the last woman, this girl seemed like she would be kind, the sort you'd like to have as an older sister. She was also much smaller than the others in the hall. She was about the size of the older children at Polly's school.

"I rather like this girl," said Polly, pulling Digory's attention from the figure at the end of the hall.

"Yes, she does seem much kinder than these others." Digory turned his attention to the smaller figure. "I wonder if she was put in the wrong place, or maybe moved."

The two children stood for another minute, the magic in the room still filling them with curiosity and wonder.

"I do wish we knew the story that's behind all this," said Digory, breaking the silence. "Let's go back and look at that table sort of thing in the middle of the room."

The table was less of a table and more of a pillar. On the pillar there was a plaque, that neither of the children could read and a bell and a hammer. The children were confused by the writing, but the more they stared at it, the clearer the writing became, the magic in the room translating the words into English for them.

 _Make your choice, adventurous Stranger_

 _Strike the bell and bide the danger_

 _Or wonder, till it drives you mad,_

 _What would have followed if you had._

"No fear!" said Polly. "We don't want any danger."

"Oh but don't you see it's no good!" said Digory. "We can't get out of it now. We shall always be wondering what else would have happened if we had struck the bell. I'm not going home to be driven mad by always thinking of that. No fear!"

This disagreement sparked a fight, which Digory won through physical force. He grabbed Polly's wrist as she reached for the yellow ring that would take her to the Wood Between Worlds, and, in his anger, Digory held on too tight, hurting the blonde girl's wrist.

He tapped the small hammer to the bell. The sound from the bell was sweet, but not loud. Instead of dying away the sound grew and grew, and as it grew it seemed to lose its sweetness and had something horrible to it. The sound grew so loud that the floor under their feet began to shake. At last another sound, at first that of a distant train and then the crash of a falling tree, mixed with the sound of the bell. With the crashing of part of the roof, the noise of the bell stopped and the silence returned.


	3. Chapter 2: The Deporable Word

The crashing of the roof was the first sound that Dione had heard in longer than anyone remembered. The second was the voice of a child.

"There! I hope you're satisfied now," a young, girlish voice said, obviously angered by something. Dione turned in the chair she was sat in to look for the speaker.

"Well it's all over, anyway," a second voice responded. This voice was still childish, but more like a young boy. Dione spotted the two children, a boy and a girl, near a pillar about half way down the hall, but before she could rise from her chair, another began to move. Her sister, Jadis, rose to her full height and moved towards the children.

"Who has awaked me?" Her long swift strides carried her to the children in seconds. "Who has broken the spell?"

Jadis towered over the children, whom reminded her of Dione with their sweet faces and small statures. The youngest princess was always smaller and weaker than the rest of the family, and her magic was only good for growing plants.

"Sister?" Dione rose, startling the two children, who briefly wondered if all of the people were going to wake up and interrogate them, Jadis only spun to see her sister rise from the chair. "What is going on?" The smaller of the reanimated women moved forward to join the trio around the pillar.

"It seems I've broken a spell." The boy answered, gaining the attention of the two women.

"You!" exclaimed Jadis, gripping the boy's shoulder with her pale hand. "You? But you are only a child, a common child. Anyone can see at a glance that you have no drop of royal or noble blood in your veins. How did such as you dare enter this house?"

"We've come from another world; by Magic," Polly explained, trying to make the taller woman realize that she was there too, but her black eyes never moved from Digory, though the green eyes of the smaller woman shifted to her. Her gaze was soft and kind and made Polly feel like she was a part of the conversation.

"Is this true?" Dione asked, her gaze moving between the two oddly dressed children. Though perhaps, she thought, not so strange for their world.

"Yes, it is," Digory answered.

Jadis lifted the boy's head to look at his face better. He tried to maintain eye contact, but he had to look away. She studied his face for a minute more before letting go, not finding what she was looking for.

"You are no magician. The Mark of it is not on you. You must be the servant of a magician. It is on another's Magic that you have traveled here."

"It was my Uncle Andrew," Digory provided.

After Digory spoke, the building began to creak and groan. Then came the sound of falling masonry, causing the floor to shake.

"There is great peril here. The whole palace is breaking up. If we are not out of it in a few minutes we shall be buried under the ruin." She spoke calmly, as though this was a normal occurrence. "Come," she added as she held out a hand to both children, and looking over her shoulder to her sister.

Polly did not want to hold her hand, for she disliked the Queen very much, but soon found her hand stuck in a grip much larger and stronger than her own. The young girl was sure that, had she tried to escape the grip, the Queen could have broken her arm with a single twist. It didn't help that the Queen had grabbed her left hand either. Now she was unable to grab her yellow ring out of her left pocket, and she could only hope that Digory didn't say anything about the rings.

The four soon began to move through a maze of hallways, stairs and courtyards. They frequently heard parts of the palace collapsing.

Dione was shocked at the state of her home. There was no life anywhere. No people, no animals, no plants. Everywhere was empty and it saddened her. Had all their people died? But then where were the animals? The plants? What had happened to her world?

Jadis moved forward, quickly and confidently. She knew how to escape the palace, after all, she had grown up here. She knew the fastest way out. As they walked, she pointed out her favorite places, such as the dungeons, the principle torture chamber, and the hall where her great-grandfather killed seven hundred nobles with rebellious thoughts.

Dione also spoke about her favorite places as they passed them. A garden had been just there and it had had the best places to hide, or that was the fountain what a servant boy had fallen into when he saw her grow a flower with magic, or this courtyard was used for the spring festival and there was always a wonderful feast.

The children listened as they walked and found that they much preferred to her the places that the Princess talked about. They seemed much happier than the places that the Queen spoke about.

Eventually they ended up at a hall that was larger and loftier than any that they had passed through. From the size of the doors at the end, Digory guessed, and guessed correctly, that they had come to the main entrance.

The doors were black, either ebony or some black metal, with great bars across them. The bars looked too heavy to lift and some were out of reach, so the children wondered how they would open the doors.

Jadis let go of the children's hands, raised an arm, drew herself up to her full height and stood rigid in front of the doors. She said words that the children could not understand, but that Dione recognized as a command to open (though the words were horrible sounding, and there were plenty of nice ways to open the doors). The doors trembled for a second, after Jadis made a motion like she was throwing something, before falling away into dust on the threshold.

Digory whistled, impressed with the display.

"Has your master magician, your uncle, power like mine?" Jadis asked taking his hand again. "But I shall know later. In the meantime, remember what you have seen. This is what happens to things, and to people, who stand in my way."

The words chilled Dione, who wondered what her sister had done, and if she had something to do with the strange silence and stillness that seemed to have engulfed their world.

Light poured through the empty doorway, more light than the children had seen. The Queen lead them though the open door, having grabbed the children's arms once more; the Princess following behind, a look of confused horror on her face.

In the open air, Dione saw the large, ancient red sun that hung in the sky. But it was the landscape that held her attention. There was nothing living as far as she could see. The temples, markets, bridges, gardens, and streets were devoid of life. Even the great river that had flowed through the city was dry and gone.

"Look well on that which no eyes will ever see again," the Queen spoke, pride lased her voice for the dead city. "Such was Charn, that great city, the city of the King of Kings, the wonder of the world, perhaps of all the worlds." The Queen pause, looking down at the boy. "Does your uncle rule any city as great as this, boy?"

"No," answered Digory. He was going to say that his Uncle didn't rule any cities. That he mostly stayed in the attic, while his Aunt Letty was in charge of the house. But the Queen cut him off.

"It is silent now. But I have stood here, with my sister, when the whole air as full of the noises of Charn; the trampling of feet, the creaking of wheels, the cracking of whips and the groaning of slaves, the thunder of chariots, and the sacrificial drums beating in the temples." The Queen seemed lost in her memories, while the Princess was still staring out at the still and silent city. The Queen then continued with her memories. "I have stood here (but that was near the end, and without my dear sister) when the roar of battle went up from every street and the river of Charn ran red. She paused again before adding, "All in one moment one woman blotted it out forever."

"Who?" Digory inquired faintly, though he had put the pieces together in his mind.

Dione had, for the most part, not listened to the conversation. She had walked to the edge of the terrace and gripped the rail, hoping, praying, for some noise from the city, but the last sentence her sister had uttered dashed all hope and broke her out of her trance.

"Sister!" She cried, whirling around. "You didn't! Please tell me you didn't!"

"I," she answered the boy. "I, Jadis, the last Queen, but the last Queen of the World."

The children were silent, shivering in the cold wind, and Dione gave out a mournful cry, sinking to her knees. Her arms wrapped themselves around her, as if to hold her together.

"It was my sister, Jora's, fault," Jadis explained. "She drove me too it. May the curse of all the Powers rest upon her forever! At any moment I was ready to make peace – yes and to spare her life too, if only she would yield me the throne. But she would not. Her pride destroyed the whole world, and nearly killed sweet Dione. Even after the war had begun, there was a solemn promise that neither side would use Magic. But when she broke her promise, what could I do? Fool! As if she did not know that I had more Magic than she! She even knew that I had the secret of the Deplorable Word. Did he think – she was always a weakling – that I would not use it?"

"But you did not have to!" Dione spat. "Why do you think that the preservation of life is so weak? Yes, you have the throne now, but what are you Queen of, sister? Ash and dust." Jadis merely looked at the weeping girl, offering no comfort beyond her next words.

"Calm sister. We shall soon have a new world, full of people and life, and they shall be protected." Jadis whispered, but Dione's silent sobs continued.

"What was it?" Digory drew attention back to himself with his question.

"That was the secret of secrets," answered Queen Jadis. "It had long been known to great Kings of our race that there was a word which, if spoken with the proper ceremonies, would destroy all living things except the one who spoke it. But the ancient Kings were weak and softhearted and bound themselves and all who should come after them with great oaths never even to seek after the knowledge of that word. But I learned it, I did not use it until she forced me to it. I fought to overcome her by every other means. I poured out the blood of my armies like water –"

"Beast!" Polly muttered, her free arm wrapped the shoulders of the sobbing Princess, in an attempt to comfort the woman.

"The last great battle," Jadis continued on, "raged for three days here in Charn itself. For three days I looked down upon it from this very spot. I did not use my power till the last of my soldiers had fallen, and the accursed woman, my sister, at the head of her rebels was halfway up the great stairs that lead up from the city to the terrace. The I waited till we were so close that we could see one another's faces. She flashed her horrible, wicked eyes upon me and said 'Victory.' 'Yes', said I, 'Victory, but not yours.' Then I spoke the Deplorable Word. A moment later I was the only living thing beneath the sun. Dione was spared by an enchantment. She was frozen in time in the Hall of Images."

"But what of the people?" gasped Digory.

"What people, boy?" Jadis inquired.

"All of the ordinary people," answered Polly, "who'd never done you any harm. And the women, and the children, and the animals."

"Don't you understand?" Jadis said, still addressing Digory. "I was the Queen. They were all _my_ people. What else were they there for but to do my will?"

"They were there for you to protect." Dione whispered lout enough for Polly to hear.

"It was rather hard luck on them all the same," Digory said, not understanding why a whole planet of people had to die.

"I had forgotten you are only a common boy. How should you understand reasons of State? Or that you, sister, were never taught what it would be like to rule. You must learn that what would be wrong for you or any of the common people is not wrong for a great Queen such as I. We must be freed from all rules. Ours is a high and lonely destiny."

Digory's Uncle Andrew had said the same thing about destiny; though he thought it sounded much grander coming from Jadis, probably because she was so tall and dazzlingly beautiful.

"And what did you do then?" Digory wondered how she'd gotten to the hall where they'd met.

"I had already cast strong spells on the hall where the images of my ancestors sit to preserve Dione. And the force of those spells was that I should sleep among them, like an image myself, and need neither food nor fire, though I were a thousand years, till one came and struck the bell and awoke my sister and me." Jadis had set the spells just in case and she'd always intended to save Dione, should the need arise to use the Word. She'd simply added a healing spell to the room so that her sister would awake good as new.

"Was is the Deplorable Word that made the sun like that?" asked Digory.

"Like what?" Jadis didn't understand, there was no change in the way that the sun looked.

"So big, so red, and so cold."

"It has always been so," answered Jadis. "At least, for hundreds of thousands of years. Have you a different sort of sun in your world?"

"Yes, it's smaller and yellower. And it gives a good deal more heat."

Jadis gave a long drawn "A – a – ah!" And the look that appeared across her face was the same hungry and greedy look which his Uncle Andrew had had recently. "So," she said, "yours is a younger world."

She paused and looked out over the empty city. If she felt any remorse or guilt for what she'd done it did not show on her face. Then she said:

"Now, let us be going. It is cold here at the end of all ages."

"Going where?" both the children and Dione asked.

"Where?" repeated Jadis, surprised that they asked such a question. "To your world of course."

Polly and Digory looked at each other, aghast. Polly hadn't like the Queen at all; and Digory, after listening to the story, felt that he'd seen enough of the woman. She was certainly not someone they wanted to take home. The Princess seemed nice enough, they both like her quite a bit. But they were not even sure if they could bring anyone back with them. They wanted to get away, but Polly couldn't get at her ring, and Digory couldn't leave without her. He went red in the face and stammered.

Oh – oh – our world. I d-didn't know you wanted to go there."

"What else were you sent here for if not to fetch us?" inquired Jadis.

"I'm sure you wouldn't like our world at all," Digory tried to dissuade the woman. "It's not her sort of place, is it Polly?"

"It will soon be worth seeing when I rule it," Jadis stated, determined to go to this new world.

"Oh, but you can't," said Digory. "It's not like that. They wouldn't let you, you know."

"Sister, there might be many Magicians in their world. Enough to stop even you." Dione pleaded with her sister. Half of her wanting to leave this dead world, but the other half not wanting to curse another world to her sister's cruel ways, for, if she left, she could never leave her sister behind.

Jadis smiled contemptuously. "Many great Kings," she said, "thought that they could stand against the House of Charn. But they all fell, and their very names are forgotten. Foolish boy! Foolish sister! Do you think that I, with my beauty and my Magic, will not have the world at my feet before a year has passed? Prepare your incantations and take us there at once."

"This is perfectly frightful", Digory said to Polly.

"Perhaps you fear for this Uncle of yours," noted the Queen. "But if he honors me duly, he shall keep his life and his throne. I am not coming to fight against _him_. He must be a great Magician, if he found how to send you here. Is he King of your whole world, or only part of?"

"He isn't King of anywhere," Digory said honestly.

Dione was shocked to hear that the man had the power to send two children to another world, and yet he wasn't the King of anything. Perhaps there was another more powerful Magician that Digory's Uncle in their world who was King.

"You are lying," Jadis accused, not taking this news well at all. "Does not Magic always go with royal blood? Who ever heard of common people being Magicians? I can see the truth whether you speak it or not. Your Uncle is the great King and great Enchanter of your world. And by his art he has seen the shadow of my face, in some magic mirror or some enchanted pool; and for the love of my beauty he has made a potent spell which shook your world to its foundations and sent you across the vast gulf between world and world to aske for my favor and to bring me to him. Answer me: is that not how it was?"

"Well, not _exactly_ ," Digory answered hesitantly, fearing the woman's wrath. Polly, on the other hand, had no such qualms.

"Not exactly," she shouted. "Why, it's absolute bosh from beginning to end." Dione giggled at the girl's bravery, her tears having stopped falling when the children were trying to keep her sister from their world. She'd prepared herself to defend them from her sister, should the need arise. She knew all to when what her sister's temper was like.

"Minions!" screamed the Queen, turning on Polly in a rage and grabbing her hair at the top, where it hurts the most. But this caused her to release both the children's hands.

"Now!" shouted Digory at the same time Polly shouted "Quick!" Dione reached for the girl's blue dress, hoping to pull her out of the way of her enraged sister.

When the children's fingers touched the rings, the dreary world around them vanished and they rushed upward, where a warm green light grew ever nearer.

On Charn, silence fell when the children disappeared. The only noise that would ever echo across the desolate planet ever again was the sound of crumbling ruins.


	4. Chapter 3: Uncle Andrew's Troubles

Chapter 3: The Beginning of Uncle Andrew's Troubles

"LET GO! LET GO!" Polly screamed as they entered the Wood Between Worlds.

"I'm not touching you!" insisted Digory.

Then their heads popped out of the pool into the sunny silence of the Wood. To the children, it seemed even richer and warmer and more peaceful than the horrible world that they'd just left. All around them were the trunks that grew close together, and above them were the leaves that blocked out the sky. There were dozens upon dozens of other pools all around, and the forest never seemed to end.

Before the children had fallen into a half-asleep daze and would have again, if there wasn't something keeping them wide awake this time. The Queen and Princess (or Witches, if you'd prefer) had come through with them. The Queen came up holding Polly's hair, and the Princess had grabbed the hem of the blond girl's blue dress. Polly had been shouting because of the Witch's hold on her hair.

There in the Wood, Queen Jadis looked different. She was paler; in fact, she was so pale that her beauty had faded She was bent over and gasping for breath, as if she was stifled. The children were not frightened of her now.

Dione, on the other hand, seemed to flourish. Her eyes seemed brighter and her skin practically glowed. She looked far more alive than her sister did, and the children were glad that she'd been brought through.

"Let go! Let go of my hair," demanded Polly. "What do you mean by it?"

"Here! Let go of her hair at once!" Digory chimed in, helping Polly to untangle the Witch's fingers from her hair.

Dione had already released Polly's drees and climbed out of the pool as soon as she'd seen the trees. She felt powerful here, like she was overflowing with Magic. She was entranced by the whispers of the trees and didn't notice the children struggling with her sister.

In the end, the children over powered the Witch, which terrified the woman. Never had she been so weak as to be overpowered by children.

"Quick, Digory!" cried Polly. "Change rings and into the home pool." Polly grabbed hold of the Princess, determined to bring her along, she'd been nothing but sweet. This motion brought Dione out of her daze, just as her sister began to plead.

"Help! Help! Mercy!" pleaded Jadis, her voice faint as she weakly staggered after them. "Take me with you. You cannot mean to leave me in this horrible place. It is killing me."

"It's a reason of state," Polly explained spitefully "Like when you killed all those people in your own world. Do be quick, Digory."

They put on their green rings, the ones that would let them enter a pool, but Dione freed her hand from Polly's grasp.

"I know she killed all our people, but she's the only family that I have left." Dione looked back at her weakened sister, remorse painted in her green eyes. "I cannot bare to leave her here alone. If you're going to leave her, I'll stay too."

"Oh bother! What _are_ we to do?" Digory did feel a little sorry for the Queen, and he also didn't want to leave the Princess here. He'd rather like for her to meet his mother. With her magic she might be able to heal her.

Polly hesitated for a moment. She could try to trick the Princess into the pool, but that wasn't very nice, so instead she addressed Digory.

"Oh don't be such an ass," Polly knew he was feeling bad for the Queen. "Ten to one she's only shamming. Do come _on_." They located the pool that they'd marked earlier, so that they could get back and jumped in.

But when they jumped, Digory felt as if a large, cold finger and thumb had caught his ear; and both children thought that they heard someone yell, though they couldn't make out the words.

As they sank deeper into the pool, the shapes of the children's world began to appear and the grip on Digory's ear grew tighter. Digory struggled and kicked as the Witch regained her strength, but it was useless as they appeared back in the attic with Uncle Andrew.

The man was tall and thin, with a clean-shaven face and a pointed nose. His eyes were bright under his mop of grey hair. And, upon seeing Jadis, he could do nothing but stare. The children stared too, but more in horror than awe, like Uncle Andrew.

The Witch had gotten over her faintness and there in that new world, with ordinary things around her, she took one's breath away. She'd been alarming on Charn, but in London she was terrifying. They had not realized how large she actually was until now, when she truly seemed to tower over them.

"Hardly human" was what Digory thought when he looked at her, and he was probably right, since it is believed that there was giant's blood in the royal family of Charn, though it seemed Dione did not inherit that trait.

But Jadis' height was nothing compared to her beauty, fierceness or wildness. She looked more alive than anyone you'd see in London.

Dione seemed just as alive as her sister, without the intimidating elements that her sister possessed. She looked a little ill from her trip through the pool, having grabbed her sister's arm, but still beautiful in a softer, sweeter way. But Uncle Andrew didn't seem to notice her.

He was too busy bowing and rubbing his hands and looking terrified. He seemed so small beside the Witch. But afterwards, Polly noted that there had been something similar in his and Jadis' face, something in the expression. The similarity was the 'Mark' that Jadis could not find on Digory's face, the one that all wicked Magicians share, the Mark that Dione lacked as well.

After seeing Jadis and Uncle Andrew together, neither of the children would ever be afraid of him again. And Digory could not believe he'd ever thought hid Uncle a Magician, when Jadis and Dione were the real things.

Uncle Andrew was trying to say something polite, but he couldn't form the words. He'd dabbled in Magic, leaving the dangerous tasks to others, and nothing like this had ever happened to him before.

"Where is the Magician who has called me into this world?" Jadis demanded and though her voice wasn't loud, the room quivered when she spoke.

"Ah – ah – Madam," Uncle Andrew finally found his voice, "I am most honored – highly gratified – a most unexpected pleasure – if only I had had the opportunity of making any preparations – I – I –"

Amid all the stuttering and babbling, Dione realized that this was Uncle Andrew. Her sister would not be impressed at all.

"Where is the Magician, fool?" Jadis wanted answers, not half formed welcomes.

"I – I am, Madam." Uncle Andrew managed to say. "I hope you will excuse any – er – liberty these naughty children may have taken. I assure you, there was no intention –"

"You?" Jadis asked, disbelief colored her terrible voice. She crossed the room in a single stride, seizing the old man by his hair and pulled his hair back, so that she might study his face like she'd done to Digory on Charn. Once she done with the nervous man, Jadis released Uncle Andrew so suddenly that he fell back against the wall.

"I see," the Witch said scornfully, "you are a Magician – of a sort. Stand up dog, and don't sprawl there as if you were speaking to your equals. How do you come to know Magic? _You_ are not of royal blood, I'll swear."

"Well – ah – not perhaps in the strict sense," the man stammered. "Not exactly royal, Ma'am. The Ketterlys are, however, a very old family. An old Dorsetshire family, Ma'am."

"Peace," Jadis calmed the old man down, "I see what you are. You are a little, peddling Magician who works by rules and books. There is no real Magic in your blood and heart. Your kind was made an end of in our world a thousand years ago. But her I shall allow you to be my servant."

"I should be most happy – delighted to be of service – pleasure, I assure you."

"Peace! You talk far too much." Jadis exclaimed, exasperated with the stuttering fool in front of her. "Listen to your first task. I see that we are in a large city. Procure for my sister and me at once a chariot or a flying carpet or a well–trained dragon, or whatever is usual for royal and noble persons in you land Then bring me to places where we can get clothes and jewels and slaves fit for our rank. Tomorrow I begin the conquest of the world."

"I – I – I'll go and order a cab at once," gasped Uncle Andrew.

"Stop," Jadis demanded when he'd reached the door. "Do not dream of treachery. My eyes can see through walls and into the hearts of men. They will be on you wherever you go. At the first sign of disobedience I will lay such spells on you that anything you sit down on will feel like red hot iron and whenever you lie in a bed there will be invisible blocks of ice at our feet. Now go."

He went out, looking very much like a kicked dog with his tail between his legs.

The children were scared that Jadis would say something about what had happened in the wood. They half hid behind Dione, who spread her arms out to protect them. But she never mentioned it then or after. It was as if her mind wouldn't let her remember the quiet stillness of the wood, no matter the length of time she spent there.

Now that she was left with Dione and the children, she took no notice of the children, which was like her. She tended to only notice those people that could help her get what she wanted, Dione being an exception. On Charn, Digory had woken them and been a way to leave. Now she had Uncle Andrew to do her bidding.

The room was silent, save the tapping of Jadis' foot and Dione was too afraid to say anything. The tapping of Jadis' foot increased in tempo, indicating her impatience.

"What is the old fool doing?" she mumbled to herself. "I should have brought a whip." She stalked out of the attic after the poor man, without glancing at the children. "Dione, I'll be back. Stay here." Jadis called as she left. She didn't know what this world might hold, and she would not risk her younger sister to its unknown dangers.

"Whew!" Polly signed. "And now I must get home. It's frightfully late. I shall catch it."

"Well do come back as soon as you can," insisted Digory. "This is simply ghastly, having her here. We must make some sort of plan. Terribly sorry to be rude," Digory turned towards Dione.

"No, I understand." Dione put her hand on Digory's shoulder. "She's very abrasive and demanding. She's always been like that, but she always did care for family."

"Coming up with a plan is up to your Uncle now." Polly said, earning a nod from Digory. "It was he who started all this messing about with Magic."

"All the same, you will come back won't you?" Digory asked. "Hang it all, you can't leave me alone in a scrape like this."

"I shall go home by the tunnel," Polly said, ice in her tone. "That'll be the quickest way. And if you want me to come back, hadn't you better say you're sorry?"

"Sorry?" exclaimed Digory. "Well now, if that isn't just like a girl! What have I done?"

"Oh nothing of course," replied Polly, sarcasm dripping from every word. "Only nearly screwed m wrist off in that room with all the waxworks, like a cowardly bully. Only struck the bell with the hammer, like a silly idiot. Only turned back in the wood so that she had time to catch hold of you before we jumped into our pool. That's all."

"Oh," Digory was surprised. "Well, all tight, I'll say I'm sorry. And I really am sorry about what happened in the waxworks room, but we did meet Princess Dione. There: I've said I'm sorry. And now, do be decent and come back. I shall be in a frightful hole if you don't."

"I don't see what's going to happen to you. It's Mr. Ketterley who's going to sit on red hot chairs and have ice in his bed, isn't it?"

"It isn't that sort of thing," Digory explained. "What I'm bothered about is Mother. Suppose that creature went into her room. She might frighten her to death."

"Oh, I see," Polly's tone changed to understanding. "All right. We'll call it Pax. I'll come back – if I can. But I must go now."

With that she crawled through the little door in the wall that lead to a crawl space connecting the homes. The tunnel that the two children had explored hours ago now felt tame and homey, instead of mysterious and adventurous.

"Would my sister truly scare your mother to death?" Dione inquired.

"She might," Digory said. "You see, my mother has been sick, that's part of the reason we're here in London. It's because there's so many doctors here."

"Would I scare her to death?" Dione would hat to cause anyone's accidental death. She had been trained to defend herself on Charn, there were plenty of people who wanted the royal family gone, and she had defended herself in the past.

"No, I don't think you'd scare her at all."

"May I meet your mother?" Dione asked. "She must be a wonderful woman to have raised such a wonderful boy."

Digory blushed before saying, "Follow me. I'll take you to meet her."

While this was happening, Uncle Andrew had gone to his room and had a couple of drinks before changing into his best clothes. He then went down stairs, telling a maid to fetch a cab, before he went to the sitting room to ask his sister, Letty, for some money. He had to ask his sister for money because he had none, spending it all on cigars and brandy, while his sister paid off his debts. But she refused. Uncle Andrew told he it was for guests who had just arrived, but of course there hadn't been a ring at the door, so Letty refused again.

Then Jadis burst through the door, enraged.


	5. Chapter 4: The Front Door

"Now, slave, how long a to wait for my chariot?" yelled the Witch. Uncle Andrew lost all confidence, but Aunt Letty stood and moved to the center of the room, not the least bit intimidated.

"And who is this young person, Andrew, may I ask?" demanded Aunt Letty with an icy tone.

"Distinguished foreigner – v-very important p-person," the man stammered out, his face having gone rather pale with fright.

"Rubbish!" Aunt Letty responded before turning to the Witch. "Get out of my house this moment, you shameless hussy, or I'll send for the police." Given the Witch's appearance and her foreign clothes that left her arms bare, Aunt Letty thought that the Witch must have worked in a circus and did not approve.

"What woman is this?" Jadis asked, taking note of Aunt Letty. "Down on your knees, minion, before I blast you."

"No strong language in this house _if_ you please, young woman," scolded Aunt Letty in response.

Jadis drew herself up even more, and, with fire flashing in her eyes, she flung her arm out in the same gesture and said the same terrible words that had reduced the palace gates to dust on Charn. But nothing happened, except Aunt Letty presumed the woman before her was drunk as she thought the spell was meant to be English.

"I thought as much. The woman is drunk. Drunk! She can't even speak clearly."

For barely a second, Jadis was surprised that her magic did not work, but she did not lose her nerve. She lunged forward, catching Aunt Letty round the neck and knees, raised her high above her head and threw the smaller woman across the room, as if Aunt Letty was nothing but a doll.

The housemaid, who was having an exciting morning, came into the room as Aunt Letty was soaring through the air, saying "If you please, sir, the 'ansom's come."

"Lead on, Slave," commanded the Witch, while the man began to stutter about "regrettable violence – must really protest." A single glance from Jadis left him speechless. She got him out of the room and out of the house; Digory and Dione came down the stairs just as the door shut behind them.

During the commotion in the sitting room, Digory had lead Dione out of the attic to his mother's room. He'd poked his head in, to make sure she was awake. When the woman saw her son called him in.

Digory told her they had a visitor who wanted to meet her, and of course the woman was worried about her appearance. She'd not gotten out of bed yet and was worried about being in her nightgown. Digory insisted that their guest wouldn't mind. So, his mother agreed to meet them.

Digory rushed back to the door, only for the commotion downstairs to catch his attention and his mother's.

"Digory, perhaps you should see what is going on downstairs before introducing me to our gust. Just go make sure everything is alright." Digory's mother called, worried about what might have happened to cause such a commotion. Uncle Andrew must be up to something again, the woman figured.

Digory and Dione figured it must be Jadis up to something and both rushed down the stairs, only to see the door closing behind Uncle Andrew and Jadis.

"Oh dear," Dione murmured. "She's loose and there's no telling what trouble she'll get up to now."

"Jimmy!" Digory exclaimed at the same time. "She's loose in London with Uncle Andrew. I wonder what on earth is going to happen now."

"Oh, Master Digory," the housemaid called, "I think Miss Ketterly's hurt herself somehow." So, the maid, Digory, and Dione rushed into the sitting room. Dione could not believe that her sister would hurt one of their hosts. Their mother had taught them better manners than that.

If Aunt Letty had fallen on the bare floor or the carpet, her bones would have broken, but she landed on the mattress she'd been mending. Aunt Letty was a tough woman, and after she'd been roused with smelling salts and had a moment to sit, she was fine, excepting a few slight bruises. Then she took charge.

"Sarah," she said to the maid, "go around to the police station at once and tell them there is a dangerous lunatic at large. I will take Mrs. Kirke's lunch up myself."

When Aunt Letty saw Dione, she pulled Digory away from the foreign looking woman, afraid that she would toss someone across the room as well.

"Aunt Letty," Digory groaned in annoyance as he wiggled in her grip. "This is my friend, Dione."

"I'm terribly sorry for my sister's actions" Dione bowed her head. "If there is anyway I can make up for what she did, please let me know."

Aunt Letty eyed her warily, and though she not approve of her clothes, she allowed the young woman to stay. This one did not appear rude or drunk at least.

Once Mrs. Kirke had been served lunch, and introduced to Dione, Aunt Letty, Digory, and Dione had lunch, followed by a quick search for a shawl to cover Dione's exposed shoulders.

While Aunt Letty and Dione were searching for a shawl, Digory did some thinking. He needed to figure out a way to get the Witch back to her own world, or at the very least, out of his. He knew that this meant Dione would leave too, but it had to be done, Jadis could not stay here.

What the boy did not know was that Jadis and Dione had lost their powers upon entering his world. So, he was trying to find a way to keep Jadis from rampaging through London or rampaging through the house. He was also quite sure that she'd blasted several police officers to dust by now.

But the boy figured he only needed to touch Jadis then touch his ring and then everything would be fine. They'd end up in the Wood Between the Worlds, and he could escape back to London. Hopefully, Jadis being faint wasn't just from being pulled out of her own world, because Dione hadn't been faint before. Digory also figured that if Dione really wanted to stay with her sister, he could giver her a ring and not go back to the Wood himself.

Now Digory only had to find the Witch, but he doubted Aunt Letty would let him go out without saying where he was going, and he only had twopence. Perhaps if he asked to show Dione around London Aunt Letty would give him some money, but for now, the brown-haired boy could only hope that Uncle Andrew was still with Jadis.

His idea to take Dione out was quickly scrapped because what if Jadis came back and he wasn't there. No, he had to wait for the Witch and Uncle Andrew to come back and get to her before she got into the house again. So, he sat down at watched the front step through the window in the dining room.

In the hours that Digory sat waiting, jumping at every cab and carriage that he heard, many little things happened.

A woman came by with grapes for his mother. And he could overhear what his Aunt Letty said.

"What lovely grapes!" she exclaimed. "I'm sure if anything could do her some good these would. But poor, dear little Mabel, I'm afraid it would need fruit from the land of youth to help her now. Nothing in _this_ world will do much." Then the women's voices got too low for him to hear anymore.

If he had overheard the part about the land of youth a few days ago, he'd have thought it was one of those things grown-ups say without really meaning anything particular, and it wouldn't have interested him. It almost didn't interest him now, but the realization that he now knew (even if Aunt Letty didn't) that there were other worlds out there and that he'd been in one of them. There really could be a Land of Youth somewhere There could be almost anything out there. There really could be a fruit in some other world that could cure his mother!

Digory was suddenly very hopeful, but it was that kind of hope you fight against because you've been disappointed before. But he couldn't stop it, because it just might be true. He'd seen so many odd things already. And he still had the magic rings. There must be worlds connected to every pool in the Wood Between Worlds, and he could hunt through them all. Then his mother would be well again, and everything would be alright.

Getting so caught up in his thoughts, Digory forgot all about watching for the Witch. He was reaching for the pocket with the yellow ring, when he heard a horse galloping down the street.

"Hullo! What's that?" Digory thought. "Fire-engine?! I wonder what house is on fire. Great Scott, it's coming here. Why it's Her!"

The noise from the street caught Dione's attention as she came down the stairs. She'd been chatting with Digory's mother, but the woman had grown tired and Dione left her to rest. She'd come downstairs to look for Digory when she heard the commotion outside. She rushed into the dining-room, in hopes of looking out a window, only to be as stunned as Digory at what was outside.

The first thing that appeared was the handsom. There wasn't anyone in the driver's seat but standing, not sitting on the roof, swaying with excellent balance as the cab as the cab came at full speed round the corner with a wheel in the air, was Jadis the Queen of Queens and the Terror of Charn. She had her teeth barred, her eyes shone like fire, and her long hair was streaming behind her like a comet's tail.

She was whipping the horse without mercy as she drove. The poor creature's nostrils were wide and red, and its sides were spotted with foam. The horse galloped madly up to the front door, missing the lamp-post by an inch before rearing up onto its hind-legs. The handsom was not so lucky and crushed into the lamp-post, shattering it into several pieces. The Witch, with a well-timed jump, had sprung clear just in time, landing on the horse's back.

Jadis settled herself astride the horse before leaning forward and whispered in the horse's ear. Whatever she said was clearly not meant to sooth the horse, but madden it, for the horse was on its hind-legs again in a moment. Its neigh was more like a scream; it was all hoofs and teeth and eyes and tossing mane. Only a skilled rider could have stayed on its back.

Before either Digory or Dione could catch their breath, several more things happened. First, a second handsom dashed around the corner, out of which jumped a fat man in a frock-coat and a policeman. Second, another handsom with two more olicemen in it came around the corner as well. After that, about twenty people, mostly delivery boys, on bicycles followed, ringing their bells and calling out cheers ad cat-calls. Lastly, a crowd of people came on foot, all very hot from running, but clearly entertained. Windows opened up in all the houses on the street and a housemaid or a butler appeared in every door, they too wanted to see the fun.

An old gentleman had begun to struggle out of the ruins of the destroyed first handsom cab. Several people tried to help the poor man out of the cab, but one person pulled them one way, and another would pull him another. Dione thought he would probably have gotten out faster on his own. Digory figured that the old gentleman was Uncle Andrew, but he couldn't see the man's face, his tall hat was bashed down over his face.

Digory and Dione rushed out to join the crowd.

"That's the woman, that's the woman," yelled the fat man, pointing at Jadis. "Do your duty, Constable. Hundreds and thousands of pounds' worth she's taken out of my shop. Look at the rope of pearls around her neck. That's mine. And she's given me a black eye too, what's more."

"That she 'as, guv'nor," said someone in the crowd. "And as lovely a black eye as I'd wish to see. Beautiful bit of work that must 'ave been. Gor! ain't she strong then."

"You ought to put a nice raw beefsteak on it, Mister, that's what it wants," suggested a butcher's boy.

"Now then," said the policeman in charge, "what's all this 'ere?"

"I tell you she -" the fat man started, but was cut off by someone calling out:

"Don't let the old cove in the cab get away. 'E put 'er up to it."

The old gentleman, who was indeed Uncle Andrew, had just succeeded in standing and was rubbing his newly acquired bruises as the policeman approached him.

"Now then," the policeman said, "what's all this?"

"Womfle – Pomfy – Shomf," was what came through the fabric of Uncle Andrew's hat, which still covered his face.

"None of that now," the policeman said, unamused. "You'll find this is no laughing matter. Take that 'at off, see?"

Removing said hat was easier said than done. After Uncle Andrew struggled with it for a moment, two police officers grabbed the brim and forced it off his head.

"Thank you, thank you," Uncle Andrew's voice was faint. "Thank you. Dear me, I'm terribly shaken. If someone could give me a small glass of brandy -"

"Now you attend to me, if you please," said the policeman, removing a large notebook and a small pencil from his pocket. "Are you in charge of that there young woman?"

"Look out!" several people called, and the policeman jumped back just in time. The horse kicked out and if it had hit the policeman it probably would have killed the man. Then the Witch wheeled the horse around to face the crowd and its hind-legs were up on the foot path.

While this was happening, Digory and Dione were trying to get closer to the Witch. Digory wanted to touch the Witch and touch her so that he could get her out of here. Dione wanted to try and sooth the horse, she hated the way her sister was treating the poor animal This wasn't easy because of all the people on either side. They also had to pass between the horse's hoof and the railings of the 'area' that surrounded the house; for the Ketterly's house bad a basement.

If you know anything about horses, especially if you have seen them in that state, then you know what a tricky thing it was to do. Digory knew lots about horses, but he steeled his nerves and got ready to make a run for it.

A red-faced man wearing a bowler hat shouldered his way to the front of the crowd.

"Hi! P'leeceman," he said, "that's my 'orse what she's sitting on, same as my cab she's made matchwood of."

"One at a time, please, one at a time," demanded to policeman, slightly overwhelmed by everything.

"But there ain't no time," the Cabby insisted. "I know that 'orse better'n you do. 'Tain't an ordinary 'orse. 'Is father was a hofficer's charger in the cavalry, 'e was. And f the young woman goes on hexcitin' 'im, there'll be murder done. 'Ere, let me get at him."

The policeman was only too happy to move further from the horse. The Cabby took a step nearer, looked up at Jadis, and said in a kind voice:

"Now, Missie, let me get at 'is 'ead, and just get you off. You're a Lidy, and you don't want all these roughs going for you, do you? You want to go 'ome and 'ave a nice cup of tea and a lay down quiet like; then you'll feel ever so much better." At the same time, the Cabby stretched out a hand toward the horse's head saying, "Steady, Strawberry, old boy. Steady now."

The Witch spoke for the first time.

"Dog!" her voice was cold and clear, ringing loud above everything else. "Dog, unhand our royal charger. We are Empress Jadis."


	6. Chapter 5: The Lamp Post

Chapter 5: The Fight at the Lamp-Post

"Ho! Empress, are you? We'll see about that," a voice called from the crowd.

Another voice yelled out, "Three cheers for the Hempress of Colney 'Atch." Others joined in the cries.

Jadis, thinking she was being recognized as royalty, bowed as a flush of color came to her cheeks. Dione, though far more naïve than her sister, knew that the crowd wasn't being sincere and knew that this couldn't end well. When the crowd's cheers turned to laughter, anger crept over Jadis' face. She switched her knife to her left hand and did a terrible thing.

Jadis reached over with her right hand and wrenched a cross-bar off the lamp-post she had crashed into as if it were the easiest thing in the world. Though she had lost most of her magic, Jadis hadn't lost any of her strength when she arrived in London; she could break iron as if it were a stick of barley sugar. She tossed her weapon in the air, catching it as it fell back down and then brandished it at the crowd, urging the horse forward.

Digory saw his opportunity, he darted between the horse and the railings, making his way forward. Dione was close behind, worried that the poor boy would get hurt in the chaos. Digory wished the horse would stay still for a moment so that he might catch the witch's heel, while Dione wished the distressed animal would calm down before it hurt itself or someone else.

Dione suddenly pushed her way forward, passed Digory, rushing towards the horse and her sister. Jadis had intended to bring the iron bar down on the chief policemen's head, but Dione had gotten in the way. A sickening crack echoed in the princess' ears and a blinding pain rushed down her arm where the bar had struck it. It was surely broken.

"Sister!" Jadis cried. "What are you doing? These men do not deserve your protection."

"Nor do they deserve your hatred and anger." Dione responded, clutching her arm close to her chest. "We are guests here."

While this exchange was happening, Polly had joined Digory outside. She'd rushed out the moment she'd been allowed out of bed.

"Quick, Digory. This must be stopped." Polly said, surprising Digory.

"You _are_ a brick," commented Digory. His plan quickly changed. "Hold on to me tight. You'll have to manage the ring. Yellow, remember. And don't put it on till I shout."

Jadis swung the iron bar again, though there was no one close enough to be hurt, Dione stumbling back to avoid the swing.

An angry roar rose up from the crowd: "Pull her down. Get a few paving stones. Call out the Military." Those shouting had seen the younger girl step into protect the police man and could tell from her clothes she was connected to the crazed woman somehow. She'd stepped in against her own countryman. Though most were getting as far away as they could as fast as they could.

The Cabby, however, was the bravest and kindest Londoner present, was keeping close to the horse. He dodged one way and the other to avoid the bar, while still trying to catch Strawberry's head.

The remaining crowd booed and bellowed. Someone threw a stone that sailed over Digory, Polly, and Dione's heads. Then Jadis' voice rang out like a bell over the crowd, sounding almost happy.

"Scum! You shall pay dearly for this when I have conquered your world," she shouted. "Not one stone of your city will be left. I will make it as Charn, as Felinda, as Sorlois, as Bramandin."

Digory finally caught the Witch' ankle, only to be kicked in the mouth. His lip split, filling his mouth with blood.

From nearby, Uncle Andrew was heard, his voice a trembling scream, "Madam – my dear young lady – for heaven's sake – compose yourself."

Digory made a second grab at Jadis' heel but was again shaken off.

Jadis made another swing with the metal bar only for Dione to lunge forward and catch it with her unbroken arm.

Digory made a third grab for Jadis' ankle and managed to keep hold this time. "Go!" he shouted at Polly, and all the angry voices vanished, the faces twisted in rage disappeared and it was quiet. Except for Uncle Andrew.

The group seemed to take longer to move into the Wood, as Uncle Andrew's moans and whines were heard, protesting the sudden change.

"Oh, oh, is this delirium? Is it the end? I can't bear it. It's not fair. I never meant to be a Magician. It's all a misunderstanding. It's all my godmother's fault; I must protest against this. In my state of health too. A very old Dorsetshire family."

"Bother!" thought Digory. "We didn't want to bring _him_ along. My hat what a picnic." Out loud he called, "Are you there, Polly?"

"Yes, I'm here," came the blonde's reply. "Don't keep shoving."

"I'm not," Digory began to protest, but their heads popped out of the pool and into the warm, green sunshine of the wood.

As everyone stepped out of the pool, Polly cried out, "Oh look! We've brought the old horse with us too. _And_ Dione. _And_ Mr. Ketterly. _And_ the Cabby. This a pretty kettle of fish."

When Jadis saw that she was once again in the wood, she went pale and leaned down until her face touched the horse's mane. She felt deathly ill. Uncle Andrew was shivering, mostly from the stock of the events so far. Dione, still holding onto the iron bar, looked up at her sister's pale face, worried though slightly weary.

Of all of the arrivals, Strawberry the horse was doing the best. He was much calmer, giving a shake of the head and a cheerful whinny. Then he became quiet for the first time since Jadis had stolen the cab. His ears lifted off his skull and the fire was extinguished from his eyes.

"That's right, old boy," the Cabby said, patting the horse's neck. "That's better Take it easy."

Now, having run down the streets of London and having the Witch kicked him into a fury, Strawberry was quite thirsty, and being surrounded by ponds, he did what any horse would have, he went to get a drink. He walked slowly to the nearest pool and stepped in.

Digory was still holding the Witch's heel and Polly was holding Digory's hand. One of the Cabby's hands was on Strawberry; and Uncle Andrew, still very shaky, had grabbed on the Cabby's other hand. Jadis was still slumped over the horse holding the iron bar which Dione was still holding the other end of.

"Quick," said Polly, shooting Digory a look. "Greens!"

And so, Strawberry never got his drink; instead everyone found themselves sinking into darkness. Strawberry neighed and Uncle Andrew whimpered.

"That was a bit of luck," Digory commented. Nobody said anything for a moment, then Polly spoke up.

"Oughtn't we be there now?" They were still surrounded by darkness.

"We do seem to be somewhere," said Digory. "At least I'm standing on something solid."

"This is not Charn," Jadis' voice said out of the darkness. "This is an empty world. This is Nothing."

"It's not quite Nothing." Dione responded, though it did look like Nothing. There were no stars, and it was so dark nobody could see anything. "There's potential for life. Everything is sleeping."

Under their feet was cool and flat, it could have been ground, but it certainly wasn't grass or wood. The air around them was cool and dry, and no wind blew.

"My doom has come upon me," Jadis' voice was calm, a horrible sort of calm.

"Oh, don't say that," Uncle Andrew babbled. "My dear young lady, pray don't say such things. It can't be as bad as that. Ah – Cabman – my good man – you don't happen to have a flask about you? A drop of sprits is just what I need."

"Now then, now then," the Cabby's voice came, a good firm, hardy voice. "Keep cool everyone, that's what I say. No broken bones anyone? Good." Dione said nothing about her arm, too distracted by the sleeping world. "Well there's something to be thankful for straight away, and more than anyone could expect after falling all that way. Now, if we've fallen down some diggings – as it might be for a new station on the Underground – someone will come and get us out presently, see! And if we're dead – which I won't deny it might be – well, you got to remember that worse things 'appen at sea and cha's got to die sometime. And there ain't nothing to be afraid of if a chap's lead a decent life. And if you ask me, think the best thing we could do to ask the time would be to sing a 'ymn."

And he did. He sang a harvest thanksgiving hymn about crops being gathered in. It seemed unsuitable, considering where ever they were felt as though nothing had ever grown there, but it was the song he remembered best. The cabby had a fine voice and the children soon joined in, with Dione hummed along distractedly; it was very cheering. Uncle Andrew and Jadis did not join.

Toward the end of the hymn, Uncle Andrew crept over to Digory and plucked at his nephew's elbow. Digory knew it was his Uncle from the smell of brandy and cigars and good clothes. Digory was pulled away from the others. When the pair was a little distance off, Uncle Andrew pulled Digory close to whisper in his ear.

"Now, my boy," Uncle Andrew's breath tickled his ear. "Slip on your ring. Let's be off."

"Fool!" screamed Jadis, who had very good ears heard the plot, leaping off the horse. "Have you forgotten that I can hear men's thoughts? Let go the boy. If you attempt treachery I will take such vengeance upon you as never was heard of in all the worlds from the beginning."

"And," Digory added, "if you think I'm such a mean pig as to go off and leave Polly – and the Cabby – and the horse – and Dione – in a place like this, you're mistaken."

"You are a very naughty and impertinent little boy," said Uncle Andrew.

While those three were arguing, Dione heard something as well. Her ears were just as good as her sister's and she heard music, beautiful, wonderful music.

"Do you hear that?" she asked.

"Hush!" cried the Cabby, he could hear it too. They all listened.

In the darkness a voice was heard singing, and something was happening. It was very far away and Digory couldn't describe where it was coming from. Sometimes the voice seemed to be coming from everywhere, other times it seemed to be coming from the earth beneath them.

The song had no words, barely a tune, but no one had heard anything like it before. It was incomparable. It was the most beautiful thing they had heard, they could hardly bear it. Even the horse seemed to like the music. He gave a whinny that a cab-horse would give if he found himself back in the field he'd played in as a foal and saw his loved one coming across the field to bring him a lump of sugar.

"Gawd!" said the Cabby. "Ain't it lovely?"

"Wonderful," whispered Dione. "It's absolutely wonderful."

Then two wonders occurred at the same time. The voice was joined by countless voices, more than could be counted. The voiced were harmonized with the first, but much higher on the scale: cold, tingling, silvery voices. The second was that the blackness overhead suddenly was broken by billions of points of light – single stars, constellations, and planets, so big and so very bright. The new voices and the new stars, all at once, as if it was the stars themselves singing, and that the First Voice, the deep one, had made them appear and made them sing.

"Glory be!" exclaimed the Cabby. "I'd ha' been a better man all my life if I'd known there were things like this."

The Voice on the earth was louder now, and more triumphant. The voices in the sky, after singing loudly with it for a while, began to get fainter.

But now, something new was happening. Far away, and down near the horizon, the sky was turning from black to grey, like the sun was rising. It grew steadily lighter. In the light the shapes of hills standing up in the distance were seen. All the while, the Voice kept singing.

Soon it was bright enough to see each other. The Cabby and the children had open mouths and shining eyes; they were drinking in the sound, looking as if it reminded them of something.

Dione was kneeling on the ground, looking as the light in pure awe. Her eyes fluttered shut as she listened and a calm, serene smile crossed her face. It was like she knew what the Voice was saying, and she seemed to glow in the growing light.

Uncle Andrew's mouth was hanging open too, but he looked as if his chin had simply dropped away from his face. His shoulders stooped, and his knees shook, he was not enjoying the Voice. He would have crawled into a rabbit's hole to get away from it if he could.

But the Witch looked as if she could also understand the music. Her mouth was shut, her fists were clenched. Ever since the song began, she had felt that the world was filled with Magic, and she could tell her sister could feel the power as well, based on the subtle glow she was giving off. The Magic was different from hers, more like Dione's Magic, and stronger than her Magic. She hated it. Jadis loved her sister, and her Magic, but on Charn it was weaker, more controllable. She hated this Magic. She would have smashed that world, any world, all worlds, if it would stop the singing.

Even the horse stood with his ears perked forward, and twitching. He would stomp his feet and snort. He no longer looked like a tired old cab-horse; he now looked like the offspring of a battle horse.

The eastern sky was changing from white to pink to gold. The Voice rose and rose, 'til the very air around the rag tag group seemed to vibrate with it. And just as it swelled to the mightiest and most glorious sound it had produced so far, the sun rose.

Dione had never seen such a beautiful sun. The sun over Charn had been old, ancient, and red. The sun in Digory's world seemed younger and warmer. But this sun was so much younger, seeming to laugh as it rose for the first time. Its beams shot across the land and the travelers could see where the were for the first time.

They were in a valley that had a broad, swift river running east towards the sun. To the south there were mountains, to the north there were smaller hills. The valley had no trees, bushes, or even a blade of grass. But the rocks and earth were varying, vivid colors. The colors were exciting, until the Singer appeared. Then everything else was forgotten.

It was a Lion. Huge, shaggy, and bright, facing the rising sun. His mouth was wide open in song and he was standing about three hundred yards away.

"This is a terrible world," Jadis said. "We must fly at once. Prepare the Magic."

"I quite agree with you, Madam," chimed in Uncle Andrew. "A most disagreeable place. Completely uncivilized. If only I were a younger man and had a gun – "

"Garn!" interrupted the Cabby. "You don't think you could shoot _'im_ do you?"

"And who _would_?" asked Polly.

"Your shot would not hit its mark if you tried." Dione added, as she stood to face the man. "I would not let it."

"Prepare the Magic," commanded Jadis once again.

"Certainly, Madam." Uncle Andrew replied, cunningly. "I mush have both children touching me. Put on your homeward ring at once, Digory." He wanted to leave the Witch there.

"Oh, it's _rings_ , is it?" Jadis cried. She would have had her hands on Digory's rings before you could say knife, but Digory grabbed Polly and shouted out:

"Take care. If either of you come half an inch nearer, we two will vanish and you'll be left here for good. Yes: I have a ring in my pocket that will take Polly and me home. And look! My hand is just ready. So, keep your distance. I'm sorry about you," he looked at Dione and then at the Cabby, "and about the horse, but I can't help that. As for you two," he looked at Uncle Andrew and Jadis, "you're both magicians, so you ought to enjoy living together."

"'Old your noise, everyone," commanded the Cabby, who wasn't paying all that much attention to the argument anyway. "I want to listen to the moosic."

That's when they realized the song had changed.


End file.
